Bethlehem
Today
Wednesday, March 18th, 2026
Good morning, Bethlehem. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 18th of March.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2026 Snow Ball gala at the Wind Creek Hotel (with Wind Creek Casino) last night to support Second Harvest Food Bank. About 400 guests joined the annual event that began in 1989 and has raised over $700,000 for local nonprofits. Bethlehem Press
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ More than 11,000 Met-Ed customers and others remain without power after winds roared Monday night in the region — fallen trees and downed wires have blocked roads in the Lehigh Valley as cleanup crews begin work. WFMZ
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The exhibit Baked into Bethlehem runs at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts and the Moravian Museum until July 26, showing how baking shaped community traditions over three centuries. Previously, special events on Jan. 17 offered museum access with the Richard Groman programs. Bethlehem Press
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ ArtsQuest generated a record $192,685,075 in economic impact in 2025, a 34% jump from 2024, thanks to strong turnout at events like Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt. The group will expand its offerings with new spaces as part of its Re-Imagine That Capital Campaign in 2027. Bethlehem Press
- ➤ Yesterday, LVEDC hosted its Annual Meeting in Bethlehem with Gov. Shapiro and local leaders sharing details about the historic $3.5 billion Lilly project that will employ 850 people + create 2,000 construction jobs. Lehigh Valley Economic Development
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Lehigh University announced a $10 million gift from the Jackson family to create the Jackson Laboratory in the historic Packard Laboratory - an open-concept lab offering 3D printers and laser cutters for hands-on learning. The lab will also house the FYRE program, expanding to all first-year engineering students by 2028. WFMZ
- ➤ Bethlehem-based philosophy professor Aladdin Yaqub balances teaching, research and annotating ancient Qur’anic texts today, building on decades of academic work that began in Baghdad. He continues to enrich his field (and guide students) at Lehigh while reviving a lost intellectual tradition. The Brown and White
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Bethlehem City Council heard Tuesday night that converting the current emergency shelter into a year-round facility could cost about $6 million (with $4.5 million expected from public funding and a capital campaign addressing the rest). Zoning relief and capacity building must also be secured before the project proceeds. WFMZ
- ➤ Bethlehem City Council approved the transfer of a liquor license for a new restaurant at 217 Broadway planned to serve Southern comfort cuisine and offer live music, on-site security, and 35-40 jobs with an August opening pending final review from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. WFMZ
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Seventeen Lehigh Valley development projects were awarded on March 11 at DeSales University for creative design and innovative construction techniques, including local efforts such as Falmer Drive Garden Apartments and Jefferson Health centers in Bethlehem. Judges based the awards on design creativity and technical challenges. Lehigh Valley Economic Development
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Bethlehem Catholic head coach Scott McClary stepped down after eight seasons (120 wins, three championships including District 11 titles in 2019 and 2022) and said he will follow his son Parker at Susquehanna University (marking the end of a distinguished coaching career). Lehigh Valley Live
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Lake Street Dive Concert
8:00 – 9:30 PM — The Club at Wind Creek Event Center — $165/each — Experience an energetic live performance from Lake Street Dive in Bethlehem.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.
~ Les Brown
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